Maple Leafs host Defending Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins

by PPP on Jan 9, 2010 3:14 PM EST in Maple Leafs Game Previews

Next Game

Pittsburgh Penguins
@ Toronto Maple Leafs

Broadcast: 7pm HNiC CBC, AM 640

SBN Opponent: PensBurgh

Saturday, Jan 9, 2010, 7:00 PM EST
Air Canada Centre

The Toronto Maple Leafs will try to recover from a tough loss with a game against one of the best teams in the league. Somehow, as FrankD notes in his preview, the Leafs have a great record for a team of their stature against the Penguins since they became a juggernaut. They are 7-6-1 since the 2006-2007 season and 4-2-0 over the past two years. That record led to the Leafs playing an instrumental part in helping the Penguins to win the Stanley Cup.

1967ers took a look at the Toronto Maple Leafs' near-historically bad penalty killing this morning but they aren't the only abysmal special teams unit in this game. Somehow, a team with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin has conspired to produce the league's worst power play which is plugging away at a woeful 14.4%. They also have a great .800 winning percentage when they score first so it goes without saying that the Leafs need to avoid giving the Penguins any gifts to kick off the game.

I was screwing around on Shrpsports and found that the Leafs' all-time record on Saturdays at home is 943 wins, 518 losses, 223 ties, and 11 OT/SO losses. Much more relative is the fact that the they are 13-8-3 since the start of last season. Whether that's because the players recognise that it's a big night or the fans remember that they are allowed to make some noise the team does better when it's on Hockey Night in Canada.

Tonight's starters:

	GP	MIN	W	L	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2009 - Jonas Gustavsson	24	1270	8	8		62	2.93	643	581	.904	1

	GP	MIN	W	L	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2009 - Marc-Andre Fleury	37	2115	22	13		94	2.67	966	872	.903	0

Marc-Andre Fleury will likely get the start in what must be a pretty welcome sight for Jake Allen. Jonas Gustavsson at times last start looked like h ewas stunned at how bad the Leafs' were playing defensively. Steve looked at the difference between the penalty kill in front of Jonas Gustavsson and the one that works in front of Vesa Toskala. Part of it is clearly that Gustavsson is a much better goalie but at this point I think it's also a case of the rest of the team playing with more confidence and therefore more aggressively.

The effort last night was much better at even strength. It is important that the Leafs not only start with the same effort but that they do not fall behind 2-0 for the 24th time this season. Puck drops at 7pm, game thread at 630pm, and don't forget to make your SPG picks.

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I'm worried about our PK unit

The scary thing about last night is that the Sabres don’t have a Malkin or a Crosby on their roster.

-- Rock

My blog: Greetings From SoCal
My Twitter: RockFromSoCal

by Rock Outta SoCal on Jan 9, 2010 3:16 PM EST reply actions

Yeah, so the Penguins are gonna have a better PP after this game.

I’m relatively happy with having to work tonight.

"We can categorically state that we have not released man-eating badgers into Iraq"
- Major Mike Shearer

by article1 on Jan 9, 2010 3:25 PM EST reply actions

Sergei Gonchar is a game time decision. He rushes the puck 80% of the time and pretty much dictates things.

If Gonchar doesn’t play, I don’t see the Pens PP being successful. Maybe like 1 for 5 if Crosby makes a play, but they’re unable to breakout unless Gonch is back.

Pensburgh.com

You come at the king, you best not miss.

by Hooks Orpik on Jan 9, 2010 3:46 PM EST up reply actions

prediction?

my prediction is pain

Puns, Innuendo and Bad Spelling, Yes We Got That

by JaredFromLondon on Jan 9, 2010 3:54 PM EST reply actions

Watch HARD tonight folks, I’ll be down watching the Sea Dogs with a lady friend. At least one of my teams is doing well.

Can it before I drive this truculence through your faceulence and put you in an ambulance.

by Brunswick Bruiser on Jan 9, 2010 3:56 PM EST reply actions

I was so disapointed they didn’t get the record of 25 wins (I think) in a row… I went to a game here in Halifax just before Christmas and the Sea Dogs absolutely spanked the Mooseheads, it was a beautiful thing.

by Likely on Jan 9, 2010 4:53 PM EST up reply actions

Barrie was only 3 games away from the record as well. Now we have Alex Pietrangelo to rip shit up.

by Clawson on Jan 9, 2010 5:33 PM EST up reply actions

Prediction is

Gustavsson stands on his head, Penguins lose.

The Penguins are 1-1 against the Leafs this year with both games being played against Toskala. The Pens have scored 4 PP goals on 7 opportunities. That’s pretty damn bad.

If Gustavsson plays well, which he is very capable of doing, the Leafs can win on the basis of their 5 v 5 play (they’ve outscored the Penguins 5-4 at 5 on 5). The Penguins are 3-7-0 in their last 10 and have lost 6 of their last 7 games, and 4 in a row on the road. The Penguins PP sucks and Gonchar is a game time decision. The Pittsburgh PP has 1 goal in it’s last 18 opportunities.

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."

- Sir Winston Churchill

I'm pretty sure he's talking about the Leafs.

by Steve Burtch on Jan 9, 2010 5:47 PM EST reply actions